First Blood
by pillowhisper
Summary: There comes a time when every ninja must dirty their hands with blood. But few regard it as easy. Slight SasuHina. One-Shot. Rated M for mature themes-NO LEMON.


Slight Sasuhina. This is something that I've had lying around for a while, just a quick moment in a life. Please read & review.

First Blood

She lay in the shallow stream and watched the hanging clouds pass slowly before the moon. Their passing seemed the only indication of time's progression. There was an occasional cicada cry or the flapping of an owl's wings, but all else was silent. Her byakugan pierced into the night sky, staring at nothing in particular. The prominent veins around her eyes were a stark contrast to the gentle expression she bore. She hadn't been able to deactivate the bloodline since the killing. Her hair, half in the water and half alongside the muddy slope splayed out delicately as the flowing water dragged it downstream. Small shifts of her head would cause small pink streaks to leave the strands of her hair and paint the water just so faintly before becoming one with the water. The blood and memories were her only souvenirs of the night. Her anbu mask—an expressionless hare—lay vertical in the dirt next to her, like a freshly yet hastily planted tomb. Faint streaks of blood speckled alongside its ornate painted design. She should probably throw that into the stream to rinse off the blood. She didn't know why exactly she chose the stream as her rest point. Perhaps she subconsciously realized that the water would wash away some of the blood, and perhaps a shred of her sin. But aware or not, she was here now. The cool water was refreshing and she easily ignored the growing numbness, a combination of both the water and the chilly night.

Her mind drifted to the noble estate just beyond the hills. Its lights flickered brilliantly, unaware of the light that had just vanished from one of the souls inside. In the morning, they would find the body. Her breathing hitched behind the soft black mask she wore just below her eyes as she recounted the event.

 _She thanked her noble lineage for the ease of which she was able to enter the estate. Years of formal training in the Hyuga household had molded her into the perfect gentlewoman. A simple genjutsu was all that was needed to disguise her eyes and chisel out some of her facial features. The guards took no notice as she walked in alongside other guests, and any suspicious glances her way were quickly dispelled by her perfectly damning innocent smile. She looked at an ornate mirror hanging on the near wall. Her hair was tied in a low side-ponytail to expose the smooth curve of her neck. She had settled on black irises—for reasons. Tweak the lips to be slightly plumper and painted a seductive crimson. Slightly higher and more prominent cheekbones. The genjutsu was just simple enough to avoid suspicion from the guards around the manor—too small to be detectable_. _But she was practically unrecognizable. This definitely wasn't the usual Hinata. In fact, she would say the woman in the mirror looked almost feral._

 _The celebration was a grand affair and she could even find herself enjoying the situation if not for the grisly mission she was entrusted with. And unfortunately, she was the perfect kunoichi for the job. Her outstanding chakra control meant the most delicate genjutsu disguise. This, compared with the mannerisms of a proper noble, meant the perfect concealment. But concealment was not her endgame._

 _An eruption of music and fanfare drew attention to the host of the party—and her target. His name was Akuma Tandeki and he was the sitting lord of one of the neighboring provinces. Known for his elaborate celebrations and generous spending, few would have known the blood beneath the gold. But in the black market, the Gold Demon as others call him, was known for strings of kidnapping and human trafficking operations. Konoha's Anbu team had worked relentlessly to identify the culprit and all the sources pointed to Tandeki. However, the real difficulty lay in stopping him. His lordship easily placed him at an advantage for heightened security both of a personal nature, and of hiding his bloody trail. Exposure would put too many confidential and trusted sources at risk and kidnapping would surely leave a trail. In addition, there would be an outrage through the land to know that Konoha was associated with any harm that may come to him. To put it shortly, the council decided that the cleanest solution was assassination._

 _Tandeki had no idea of his fate, as he waved to the scores of guests in the main reception below. He was standing at the top of a grand staircase, with two beautiful attendants around each arm. He had a head of long, dark hair and caramel colored eyes. If it weren't for his dark deeds, Hinata may even have considered him handsome. His own traditional garbs were gold with red leaves as accents. Without a doubt, he was a standing figure of wealth and power. As testament to this, a quick wave of his hand immediately halted the fanfare. He smiled, exposing a shark-like smile, and addressed the celebration with a rather booming and hearty voice._

" _My most honored guests! I would like to welcome you all once again to Akuma manor. As spring comes before us, I wish upon all of you the utmost happiness and good fortune. Let the celebrations commence!"_

 _The lord proceeded down the stairs as the fanfare resumed. Hinata allowed herself to quickly survey the surroundings. The reception room itself was decorated with beautiful sakura blossoms and gold leaves to celebrate the coming of spring and with it, wealth and fortune. Servers carried around deliciously aromatic sweets and tantalizing liquids. Everyone was dressed in excruciatingly beautiful traditional attire—a competition of wealth and status at these events. The room had a multitude of doors leading to the outside gardens, and peeking through, Hinata could see bright red lanterns illuminating various exotic flowers and shrubbery._

 _Hinata's attire consisted of a deep black kimono accented with red and gold flames. Purposely picked to stand out amongst the more colorful attire of the other guests, the dress was form fitting and drew attention from both hungry male gazes and envious female ones. Unlike traditional kimonos, the neckline was rather steep and exposed the curvature of her breasts. A slit along the left-side kimono's skirt revealed two long legs and ended scandalously at her upper thigh—covering the essentials but revealing just enough to arouse the imagination. Deliberate and manipulative, the kimono was a weapon in itself. If it weren't for the mission, Hinata would never be caught dead in such an attire. And with her mind once again focused on the mission, Hinata began her hunt._

" _One of a kunoichi's greatest strengths lies in deception." Kurenai had once told her, years ago. "Your sexuality is often viewed as a weakness. And while you can't change the world of its views—at least not anytime soon, anyhow—you can use it to your advantage. So what if the world views you as weak? Use this as upper hand when you need to put a kunai to a throat."_

 _A younger Hyuga had already started blushing upon hearing the word "sexuality." But the words stuck with her, and never had they been more relevant than in her current situation._

 _Hinata made her way slowly towards the dance floor, making sure to lock eyes with some men along the way. The men fortunate enough for the beauty to glance at wore facial expressions of both awe and uncertainty. Awe of such a bold woman, and uncertainty for their chances. A younger man finally had the courage to approach her._

" _Hello, miss. Would you care to dance?"_

 _Saying nothing, Hinata bowed and accepted his hand. The duo slowly made their way to the dance floor and Hinata made sure to place them a few feet away from Tandeki, who was seated in a mock-throne, watching the dance floor. Giggling and whispering in hushed tones, a small group of women huddled nearby, hoping to get in a dance with him. Her dance partner mumbled something about his name and drinks, but Hinata paid no mind. Her partner, unsure of what to do, seemed to stick to silence in fear of losing such a display of a woman. Once in proximity, Hinata spun slowly with her partner, making sure to look towards Tandeki. A few times, they were able to lock eyes and Hinata quickly feigned embarrassment and looked down just to look again shortly after. Add in a smile here and there. After a few rounds of back and forth, Tandeki's attention was sealed. He looked at her unabashedly, hungrily eying her up and down like a lion about to pounce forth. Target acquired._

 _In a few strides, Tandeki approached the couple._

" _Excuse me, sir. I was wondering if this young woman here would interest herself in dancing with me."_

" _M-my lord, of course." The young man, rather flustered, seemed both defeated and unsure. But after a few seconds of delay, he quickly excused himself._

" _My lord." Hinata bowed deeply, but kept her head level to ensure Tandeki had an enticing view of her chest._ Without the blood, a kunoichi could easily be mistaken for an escort _, Hinata humored herself._

" _My, my, my. What a delight." He grabbed her waist and spun her around to face him._

 _Hinata batted her eyelashes and smiled demurely._

" _You already know my name. It's my party. But I've never seen you before. May I have the honor of knowing the name behind such a beautiful woman?"_

" _Akuma-kun, it is my honor. Please call me Hana. Taiyo Hana." Hinata bowed again deeply, making sure that he received a generous glimpse of her cleavage._

" _Ahh, a beautiful flower just in time for sprin. And no need to be the stranger! Please, call me Tandeki." He stated, with a hungry gleam in his eye. "Well then, shall we?"_

 _The two glided on the dance floor with ease. His hands shifted lower and lower, resting lower and lower on her back._

" _How about a toast to your honor?"_

 _Tandeki laughed heartily._

" _Don't mind if we do!" He grabbed two small glasses on a passing tray and handed one to her. "To springtime, to life!"_

" _To life." Hinata repeated, tossing the drink behind her back before also putting the glass to her lips._

 _The couple continued dancing, and Hinata would usher on another drink every so often. Tandeki, being quite the drinker, would heartily accept. Forging her own intoxication, Hinata made sure to miss a beat here and there while shifting more of her weight to Tandeki. As the night progressed, his hand would graze over her exposed thigh, at first just subtly enough to pass for an accident but then rougher and more deliberate._

" _L-lord Tandeki…such actions are inappropriate for the dance floor…" Hinata finally whispered and smiled, looking into his eyes._

 _Tandeki met her eyes, and smiled ardently. The alcohol was strong on his breath as he whispered into her ear._

" _Then, my flower...would you do this most humble lord the honor of leaving this for a more…private location?"_

" _Of course, my lord."_

" _Wonderful."_

 _He immediately took hold of her smaller hands and hurriedly led her up the grand staircase. The couple zig-zagged through staircases and halls, all meticulously guarded by shinobi and samurai, until finally they seemed to have reached the master chambers. He led her through two sets of doors—the first guarded by two jonin-level shinobi from a glance and the second guarded by two regular female attendants. Slamming the bamboo doors behind them, he wasted no time in crashing his lips to hers, forcing his tongue in. Hinata tried to hide her disgust as she led him on with a reluctant moan. She could taste the remnants of the saké as his tongue darted in and out. The room was grand, with a magnificently sized bed in the middle. Red and gold drapes hung from both the walls and the bedposts—a western accent in contrast to the plainer tatami mat floors. The room was easily quadruple the size of Hinata's own chambers. A traditional tea table and cushion set were placed nearest to the only set of windows, while a large mahogany work desk rested on the opposite side. Aside from two large matching bookshelves, the room was rather simple in contents. Like before, red lanterns were hung and pre-lit by the attendants to dimly illuminate the room._

 _Hinata wrapped her arms around his neck and his right arm soon reached up towards her hair and with a quick tug, her dark tresses were released from its design. Her hair cascaded downwards in a waterfall and before him appeared the perfect image of a feral siren. Tandeki growled into her mouth and easily picked her up, dashing towards the bed. Hinata soon felt the soft silk of the bed pressed to her back as he dropped her on the bed. He quickly clambered over her and began assaulting her neck with rough bites. He clumsily reached for her obi, and impatience winning over, tore the fabric away and tossed it to the side. The rest of the kimono began to come undone, but Hinata had to ensure that she was winning this game of control._

" _Tandeki-san…what if people hear us…" Sitting up, Hinata made sure to turn her head towards the two shadows of the attendants at the door._

" _Hime, you musn't be so shy!"_

 _Hinata clutched her garments closer to her in protest and pouted. Tandeki attempted to reach for the kimono again, to be pushed back abruptly._

" _A noble lady always has her honor to uphold, your lord."_

 _Tandeki's mouth shaped themselves into a catlike grin._

" _My, my, you do have a spirit, don't you? You lead a convincing argument, my dear. Yui! Rio! Make to it and ensure that nobody gets past the hall and to not disturb me until morning." A hearty laugh followed. At the last word, Tandeki turned to Hinata and smirked in suggestion. Suppressing her desire to stab the man right then and there, Hinata only responded with a smirk of her own. Hearing and sensing the retreat of the two attendants, Hinata began to loosen her grip on the kimono and allowed it to slowly come undone._

 _Tandeki's eyes followed the fabric as it slipped past her shoulders and pooled at her waist. Hinata then reached for the fabric of the skirt._

" _Tandeki…" Her singsong voice drew his gaze away from her body and up into her eyes. And before he could register the abnormal veins, Hinata had already hit the necessary pressure points to paralyze him. He slumped sideways onto the tatami. His face contorted in a silent scream—there was no use, she had taken out the use of his vocal cords._

 _With her byakugan activated, she scanned for danger-signs, but the only people past the hall were herself and Tandeki. The stationed guards and attendants did not seem to sense any disturbance. Without the need for his distraction any longer, Hinata reached past the slit of the skirt, past her kunai pouch, and to the anbu mask that was strapped to her lower thigh. She secured it in place before lifting the genjutsu and facing the man below. He was still from her gentle-fist paralysis, and the only signs of life were his contorted facial expressions—both in pain and desperation. His eyes attempted to scan the mask for any signs of mercy, but the hare remained expressionless. She pulled the fabric of her kimono back over her chest._

 _Hinata stared down at the man before her and reached for a kunai._

 _Though his mouth remained speechless, his eyes pleaded for mercy. The kunai trembled in her hand. All her training and effort had come down to this point. Her exit was secured and her partner will be looking for her. She had sharpened her kunai just this morning to make it a clean cut. She had practiced the maneuver repeatedly in her mind. This was the moment._

 _Sweat began to trickle down the sides of his face. His eyes were wide and attentive. Even sobriety is forced upon meeting with death._

 _Just do it. He is a murderer! Men, women, and children have fallen to him! Hinata brought the kunai slowly up to position. She needs to do this. She can't fail this mission. There is no going back._ She could sense her hesitation building, and she knew that she must act fast or the chances of complications will increase tenfold.

 _I will be a murderer, but I am first a kunoichi of Konoha._

 _Hinata lifted the kunai up and brought it down swiftly upon his neck. His silent scream was deafening. She was gone before his final breath._

She sensed his chakra a few seconds before he appeared next to her. She supposed that she should have gotten up from her strange position in the stream, but something other than the water seemed to be weighing her down.

"You're going to catch a cold." The masculine voice came from the tall figure a few feet away. The branded tattoo and the expressionless snake mask he bore revealed that he too was anbu. Spiky black hair poked out from behind.

She closed her eyes and breathed in the chilly air. "It was my first kill."

A few seconds passed without sound or movement from the snake.

"It seems pretty silly, doesn't it? To take my first life so late. Medic. Sensor. Enemy disengagement. These are my specialties." She had perfected disabling an enemy through forced closure of their chakra channels, but never to stop a heartbeat. In fact, she had revived heartbeats countless times, almost expertly. Of course, there would always be those who she could not save—teammates, civilians, family. "You would have expected a kunoichi, especially at my age, to have no problems with a cold-blooded killing. And I suppose I'll get used to it soon enough."

She didn't know why she told him this-he might not even care-but she needed some form of release. Hinata seemed to have nothing more to say in that moment, and so they sat, listening to the running water. It lapped at her hair pleasantly, and Hinata couldn't help but feel guilty at the sensation. Murderers shouldn't get that luxury.

A gentle ripple of water told her that he had entered the small stream with her. Another ripple, and she sensed that he had sat down in the muddy banks next to her.

Normally, she would have protested against him getting his uniform dirty and raised concern about the possibility of him catching a cold, but her mind was elsewhere tonight, and she simply could not muster up the energy to acknowledge his actions. Instead, she opened her eyes and followed the constellations. The stillness of the night only emphasized their routine trek across the skies. If only she could join them, even for a little bit, and submit herself freely into the cosmos. Her life seemed like a dream the moment that she had brought the kunai down. She had acted mechanically from there on out, and the stillness of the stream and passing of the stars only seemed to contradict to the highest degree that she was not dreaming. She wondered when she will be spit out into the regular stream of time again, or maybe she would live her life forever in a dreamlike state, unable to recover from her own actions.

"It's never easy." His voice was low and steady.

Her temporary reverie was gently broken as the words guided her away from the cosmos. Hinata didn't have to look over to know that he was staring straight at nothing, as he always did. She wasn't sure if he took her silence as invitation to continue, or whether he was even talking to her.

"I've killed enough people that it's almost second-nature to me. I have more blood on my hands than you can ever fathom." He sighed, removed his anbu mask, and planted it in the dirt next to the hare. Sasuke stared towards the hills, but he was not looking at anything in particular.

"The sharingan captures details perfectly and sometimes I'm not sure whether it's a gift or a curse. I remember every one of my victim's last breaths, and their screams still haunt me at night."

She of course knew of this. Too often of times did she feign sleep and hear him walking out of their tent to go for a walk. Too often did she wake up to his frantic shuffling in his sleep, hair drenched from sweat. After all their time working together, she had become accustomed to his nightmares and prayed that he would find release, even for a bit.

"It's not easy. But it will be okay."

Hinata tilted her heads towards him. Her mind and heart were teetering on the edge, and she could feel the rush of emotion that she had been holding back pushing against the brim. _No! I'm a kunoichi! I can't show weakness like this!_ She could feel her heartbeat accelerating, and he must have been able to feel it too as he turned his body ever-so-slightly towards her. But he said nothing, and continued to gaze forward.

"H-How do you make peace with it all?" Her voice quivered, and she tried to steady herself.

"It wasn't easy. I was alone for a long time before the war ended, and I didn't have much guidance. I was driven solely by vengeance and that kind of life will drive you into madness. Every drop of blood I shed seemed to get me closer to Itachi, but drew me further from myself. When the war ended, I was a mess. But Naruto brought me back. I reclaimed my title as a Konoha nin, but I didn't trust myself with the title. But eventually, every stupid mission he sent me on made a little more sense in the grand scheme of things. To protect and serve Konoha—that's how I made peace with it." His eyes met hers and she felt herself latching onto reality once more. "As long as I have something precious to protect, I will make peace with it."

Hinata strung his words out in her mind and thought about them over and over. The two sat in silence for a few more minutes.

"S-Sasuke, thank you. I'll be okay."

"I know."

And they both knew. She might not be okay now, but she will be.

"And plus, he was a fucking dick."

The upwards twitch of her lips didn't escape him. The veins surrounding her eyes began to slowly retreat before her bloodline was finally deactivated. Her elbows dug into the muddy banks as she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"Sasuke, you said that the sharingan captures everything, right? Does it ever capture happy things?"

"Hn."

Hinata smiled, satisfied with his answer. She closed her eyes, leaned on his shoulder, and finally let her exhaustion envelope her, unaware of the gentle red irises on her.


End file.
